Humans are the biggest problem in the Feral Cat discussion.

Everyone is talking about what a problem feral cats are. But no one is saying anything about the fact that feral cats were once domestic family pets that one day, the family decided they didn't want.

So how did these feral cats appear in your neighborhoods?

These cats are the victims of some terribly unfortunate circumstances. They were once the sweet, cuddly kittens that you ooh and aah about at the pet store. They had cute little manners and all they wanted was to be loved and cared for by their humans.

And what did the humans do?

Abused them, so they ran away.

Left the door open, so they got lost.

The family moved and they left the cat.

Oh and my favorite lame excuse - the cat scratched my couch! Well you better get rid of it!

Just drive the cat out to the country.... a nice farmer will take him in.

No? that's not what happens, people who want cats, usually already have cats, or they get them some other way, and farmers? They often keep a colony of cats that they take care of, but outsiders are not welcomed by the cats in the colony or the humans on the farm.

Feral cats have become diseased and untamable because they've had a shaky relationship with humans all their lives or no relationship at all. They were abandoned, left for dead or lost. So they did what any self-preserving being would do... Took care of themselves because no one else would do it. They're being cats, not being a nuisance.